What A Man Does
by Shanshu Hero
Summary: Spike must overcome not only his soul, but the harsh criticism that he faces from the people who he helps each and every single day.


Title: What a Man Does....

Disclaimer: Joss Whedon, Fox, UPN, own all the rights to the show, it's characters, and the Nekkid Spike... damnit.

Distribution: This fic is short but if you like it and want it. Take it. 

Setting: Season Seven, set sometime in mid-season. The gang has now found out that Spike has his soul. Buffy is slowly cutting all contact with Spike because Dawn, and Xander voiced their concern.

Summary: Spike must overcome not only his soul, but the harsh criticism that he faces from the people who he helps each and every single day.

Rating: Nothing worse than the show.

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"I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:"

Revelation Chapter 2, Verse 2

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The night's wind carries me to this place and yet I know it not. The soul inside there burns me yet I can not deny I yearn for it. For her. I look up at the sky and I can tell that sunrise will be within the hour but bother me it does not, fore I would sit here and take the punishment of burnings of a thousand suns than to be without her. 

{She has forsaken you. She wants you dead.} A voice said inside of him. {Go inside and drain her now. End it.}

Spike looked down and grimaced, trying to shake free the voices inside his head. 

No. He would not forsaken her not like she did him. That wasn't Spike's style. When he loves it's eternal. It's forever. 

Spike remembered a time when his love was just that. Forever. A time with Dru. His sire. His savior. Now lost forever because of the ache in his heart that came the first time he saw this soul that he yearned for now. He despised this more so now than ever before. She took away his love for his sire and made it her own only to throw it back in his face. He had given up everything for her but it wasn't good enough. One day it will be though. 

{Who are you kidding you pathetic piece of rotting skin and bones. She'll never love you. She'll never accept you. Just look at her} The voice inside his head said as she came outside to pick up the morning paper. {Right now she's just waiting till the day that you slip up so that she can stake you. Even if you don't slip up, you are dust. She can't think for herself. Never has. She always has to have her friends' opinions and we know how much they love you}

"Stop it!" Spike screamed out loud to emptiness, "Stop it! I won't kill her!"

{Who said anything about her?} The voice said as Spike caught a glimpse of a car pulling up in front of the Summer's home. Out of it stepped Xander Harris bringing a smile to Spike's face.

Xander walked up the sidewalk in his new suit that he had just bought yesterday, feeling like a thousand bucks while doing so. He had a big meeting with some clients today about expanding Sunnydale high and he couldn't be late. {God, I hope Buffy and Dawn are ready this time. Every morning it's always the same thing with them and their lateness.} he thought as he walked up the sidewalk. He was about to step onto the Summer's front porch but was stopped short when Spike stepped out and directly in front of him, blocking his path to the porch.

"You know, Spike. I really wouldn't mind sitting here and chatting with you for oh.. about an hour or so," Xander said looking up at the sky, "but I've got places to be. You know, with actual people."

Spike just stared and smirked at him.

"Wait a minute. Were you standing out here and watching Buffy again? Jesus, when are you going to get it through your undead skull that she's not interested! She was hurt last year and now she is better. She won't be diving in with the trash anymore. She used you Spike and now she's having pity on you by letting you live. Do us the same and leave!"

"Pity?" Spike said laughing, "You mean, like the way she let's you hang around with her still after all these years. Even though you are useless. Oh no, wait you've got new wheels and a new suit now," Spike said walking past Xander to look at his car before turning around, "Nevermind."

Just as Spike turned around Xander punched him in the face, sending Spike to the ground with the taste of blood on his lips.

"That's it. I don't care if you have a soul or not." Xander said pulling out a stake from underneath his new suit.

Spike smiled as he got up, licking the blood off of his lips.

Xander lunged forward at Spike only to have Spike grab him by the arm and knock loose the stake. Spike backhanded Xander and got a surprised look on the boy's face while doing so, "Oh, didn't I tell you. I can hit humans now." Spike said with a smile.

Xander took Spike by surprise however with a kick to his shin. It was only a second of distraction but it was all that Xander needed to bring his foot up and kick Spike in the chest, onto the ground. The moment he was free of Spike, Xander turned around, making signals with his hands for Spike to get back to his feet and fight.

"I've been waiting for this ever since I can remember it." Xander said, "I thought that last summer I'd get my shot but you were an extra hand to help baby-sit Dawn so I left it alone. But now, Dawn doesn't need a babysitter so it's time that I do what Buffy can't."

Spike caught Xander's fist to the face just as he got up. However, this time he was a little more prepared and he used Xander's momentum from his punch to shove Xander to his side before taking ahold of the boy from behind, "Not so tough with your hands behind your back are you Harris." Spike said pinning Xander's hands behind him, forcing Xander to drop the stake from his hand in pain. 

Spike then shoved Xander against the nearest tree face first. The force of the impact made Xander dizzy but he still mustered the strength to talk, "Go ahead and kill me. It'll be the last thing you do before you see Buffy's stake in you."

"Perhaps," Spike said squeezing Xander's shoulder hard against the tree making him grimace even more, "but I'm not going to kill you."

A moment of silence passed as Spike let the statement sink in to Xander before he continued, "You will do that just fine yourself." 

Spike let go of Xander and walked away as Xander fell to the ground in pain.

"Why?" a slumped over Xander said out loud.

Spike stopped and stood there for a moment while looking down in thought. 

"Because it's what a man does." he said before he continued down the street, heading for cover from the soon rising sun.


End file.
